A man appeared in private in connection with an alleged assault in Leuchars at the weekend.
David Hunt, 32, was on a petition at Dundee Sheriff Court alleging assault to severe injury and threatening abusive behaviour.
He made no plea and was committed for further examination and granted bail.
The appearance came after an alleged incident in the Aitken Place area of the Fife town in which a 24-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment.
Killer driver jailed
A banned driver who killed a young mum in a horrific crash when he fell asleep at the wheel on the A90 between Perth and Dundee was jailed for five years and three months. Edward Carty, 31, allowed the car to drift and veer off the road dual carriageway near Errol, before it struck trees, fatally injuring his girlfriend Rebecca Tasker, 32, from Forfar.
Incontinence warning
A teenage driver caught behind the wheel in Angus while more than seven times over the ketamine limit has been urged to learn about the drug’s health effects.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, Leo Wallace, 19, of Brax Farm near Arbroath, pled guilty to drug-driving (145mics/ 20) on the A92 near Elliot Roundabout and possessing the Class B drug.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland disqualified Wallace from driving and deferred sentencing until September 19 for background reports.
He told the first offender to “Google ketamine bladder syndrome”, an incontinence condition caused by prolonged use of the drug.
Murder bid on tot
A Dunfermline woman attempted to murder a five-month-old baby in a shaking attack and tried to blame the child’s mother for the crime. Kimberly Dow inflicted potentially life-threatening injuries on the defenceless infant when she was supposed to be looking after him.
Racist abuse led to fight
A group of black men were racially abused by a lout who threatened to stab them outside a Dundee nightclub on Boxing Day.
Glen Thomson ended up fighting with one of the men outside Afrobeats on Boxing Day last year.
Reports have been ordered after Thomson, 20, admitted racially-aggravated abusive behaviour.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how Thomson had been told to leave the Session Street venue just after 2am due to an “incident”.
Prosecutor Larissa Milligan said: “He returned outside for a several minutes shouting, swearing and behaving aggressively towards other people that were there.
“He then started shouting racially aggravated comments such as ‘f*****g n*****s’ and ‘Paki’.
“He said ‘I am going to stab you’. This would appear to be directed towards a group of black males.”
One told Thomson to stop but Thomson “didn’t take kindly” to this and Ms Milligan said a fight ensued.
Thomson, of Burnside Street, was physically restrained on the ground until police arrived.
He pled guilty to shouting, swearing, acting aggressively, making racially offensive remarks and threats of violence and engaging in a stand-up fight on December 26 2023.
Assault charge
A couple from Montrose appeared in private accused of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Sean Dempsey, 41, and Kerry Smith, 34, were remanded and commtted for further examination.
Neither made any plea during the hearing at Forfar Sheriff Court.
‘Ferme la bouche’
A former engineer clashed with police just days after being sentenced for a “high intensity” 90mph chase.
Matthew Dorans was earlier this year convicted by a jury of careless driving, after Perth Sheriff Court heard how he had accelerated away from police and refused to be breathalysed.
He was also found guilty of having a lock knife and struggling violently with officers as they apprehended him.
Dorans, of Wolfhill, near Coupar Angus, was banned from driving for three years but escaped further punishment, having already spent the equivalent of a nine-month sentence on remand.
The 49-year-old returned to the dock this week and pled guilty to resisting, obstructing or hindering a police officer at his home on April 9.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Hendry said police were called to the remote farmhouse just after 10pm.
“They were directed into the garden and the accused was traced within a shed.
“He was observed to be distressed and refused to follow the instructions of police officers.
“At 12.25am, he was taken to the ground but continued to refuse to comply.”
When charged, Dorans told officers: “Ferme la bouche” – French for “shut your mouth”.
Prosecutors accepted a not guilty plea to allegations he behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Solicitor Angela Clay, defending, said her client had been struggling with mental health issues, including anxiety but “is on a much more even keel now”.
Sheriff Clair McLachlan deferred sentence until February to give Dorans the chance to prove he can stay out of trouble.
Death blaze hotel warnings
A man accused of stealing CCTV cameras from a fire-ravaged Perth hotel in which three people died had repeatedly warned the venue’s owner about its dangerous state, a court has heard. Jamie Grierson is accused of breaking into the New County Hotel and walking off with about 15 internal and external surveillance units which he had installed before the tragedy. His trial continues.
Two-year abuse campaign
A partner-from-hell told a sheriff of his shame after he turned up at his ex’s home with a knife, after previously attending her mother’s address.
James Kennedy, 32, of Den Walk, Buckhaven, returned to the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to be sentenced after admitting a campaign of domestic abuse between February 2022 and January 2024.
It included sending concerning voicemails and emails and in one threat, he told the woman: “Dunfermline will not ken what’s hit it, see you soon.”
On another occasion, he arrived at the woman’s mother’s home and shouted he was going to see his former partner so she alerted police.
He was found at her property with a backpack containing a small knife.
His solicitor Aime Allan said explained he has diagnoses of ADHD, depression and PTSD and as not medicated at the time.
From the dock, Kennedy said: “What I done was disgusting, I’m disgusted in myself.”
Sheriff Susan Duff imposed three years supervision and a non-harassment order for as long, as well as 200 hours of unpaid work in six months and completion of the Caledonian Men’s Programme aimed at rehabilitating domestic offenders.
She said: “This was a horrendous campaign of abuse.
“It took place over a substantial period of time and must have caused very significant distress and anxiety.
“Custody is a disposal that you should expect but I take onboard the very positive bail supervision report and the social work report.”
Murder threat
George Davey, 20, caught with a Japanese pull saw made threats to murder a police officer and his family when challenged about the unusual machete-style weapon outside Perth’s Grampian Hotel.
Courier caught
A paedophile caught in Perth with more than 1500 child abuse images on his phone became “infatuated by the dark web” during the Covid lockdown has been sentenced.
Courier Michael Somerville, 48, returned to the dock at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to possessing indecent photos of children in Glenrothes and Perth in November 2020.
Sentencing had been deferred for Somerville to meet with social workers.
Sheriff Robert More placed him under supervision for two years and on the sex offenders register. He must also complete 40 hours of unpaid work.
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